Dialogue 1 – Report on Enhancing Cooperation
A CROSS COUNTRY PEER TO PEER LEARNING AND EXCHANGE PROGRAM ON LOCALIZING PREVENTING AND COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM (PCVE) STRATEGIES IN KENYA AND INDONESIA
Introduction
To Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) lenses
Terrorism continues to remain a global Tchallenge to many nations today. As a result, the international community has acknowledged the need to embrace a prevention approach as part of their response to this problem. This preventive approach recognizes the need for better engagement between governments, communities, the police, and the need to promote alternative messages and find means of involving women, men and the youth from the paths of violent extremism. The approach appreciates the value of working with communities to address the drivers to radicalization and at the same time ensure the adherence to human rights.
The programs on PCVE efforts are hinged on SDGs 16:(Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions); 1:(Eradication of Poverty); 4:(Quality Education); 5:(Gender Equality); 8:(Decent Work and Economic Growth); and 17:(Partnerships for the Goals). The efforts are also backed up by a number of declarations by the UN Security Council such as; United Nations Security Council Resolution 1624 (2005) which was concerned with preventing the incitement of terrorist acts through both its prevention and criminalization under national law.
The resolution also stressed the importance of developing counter-narratives to violent extremism, especially in relation to non-violent means of conflict prevention and resolution.
In its resolution 2178 (2014), on stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), the Council underscored CVE as an “essential element” in addressing the threat to international peace and security posed by FTFs, and encourages Member States to engage with relevant local communities and nongovernmental actors in developing strategies to counter the violent extremist narrative that can incite terrorist acts.
States were urged to address the conditions conducive to the spread of violent extremism, including by empowering youth, families, women, religious, cultural and education leaders, and all other concerned groups of civil society, and promoting social inclusion and cohesion. The UN Security Council Resolution 2242 (2015), also calls for the greater integration by States of their agendas on women, peace and security, including on counterterrorism, ensure adequate representation of women in the security sector, around the table when policy and programming is being defined, as well as in operational law enforcement roles.
It is also necessary, however, to ensure that both men and women in law enforcement are aware of the different experiences and challenges VERLT presents to women and men, as well as girls and boys.
This includes how different people are targeted for recruitment, how they work to prevent VERLT, and how they may differently experience victimization by violent extremist groups. It also includes a deeper knowledge of the gender stereotypes exploited by violent extremists, and why it is important that communities and law enforcement work together to debunk such stereotypes. This can promote positive role models and narratives that serve to strengthen tolerance and prevent VE.
The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (2015) identifies clear links between youth, education, peace and security and underscores the role of education in violence prevention and peace building. United Nations Security Council resolution 72/246. The importance of increased interfaith and intercultural tolerance and understanding, are also reflected within the content of other resolutions such as the General Assembly’s annual resolutions on measures to eliminate international terrorism (most recently, resolution 72/123), as well as resolutions on themes such as the effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights (e.g., resolution 72/246).